When I was young, much younger than I am now, roughly about 20 years ago at least; but when I was young, when it was Christmas or my Mam’s Birthday, I would usually go and buy her some Coffee from the Coffee Shop. A specific one most of the time in Lancaster’s own J. Atkinson & Co. Ltd, which is to coffee what Ollivander’s is to wands in Harry Potter. Anyway, I would always buy coffee from them for my Mam for Birthday’s and Christmas. I used to love going in there, picking a coffee, having a smell and then having it ground up and given to Mam as a present.

One time however my Dad suggested that we go to a coffee shop in Kendal. Can’t remember what it was called, I was about 7/8 at the time. Anyway we went in and bought some coffee, and I think had a drink in the café too. While we were there though, I spotted something which I was immediately drawn too. My favourite colour back then (and for some part today still is) was green, and I liked the name of the coffee/tea that was displayed across the side of the large tin. It was called Green Gunpowder. Never knew what it was or what it looked like or anything. But that name remained inside my head because I liked the sound of it.

Years went by, and eventually I stopped getting Coffee consistently for my Mam, I don’t know why, I just did, and with it, I did not venture inside Atkins or any other coffee shop since, other than places like Starbucks and Caffé Nero obviously, and best of all; Esquires, well it’s the culture now isn’t it? I can remember when a tourism advert was published in a newspaper in London which said this country had over 300 castles but only 6 Starbucks. How times have changed.

Well last week, because I was on the very street of Atkinson’s, and spotted the shop, I decided to venture inside just to have a look around, and on the shelf I could spot Green Gunpowder, so I asked if I could have a look just to satisfy my age-old question. It wasn’t much to look at, it was a tea that was sort of green in colour, don’t remember much about the smell; but for simply being able to finally find out what it was, made my morning. Still won’t drink it though, I don’t drink Tea or Coffee, more a Hot Chocolate man myself.